Cut away vest

ABSTRACT

A cut away vest consists of a front vest piece having two shoulder sections and two waist sections, and a rear vest piece having two shoulder sections and two waist sections. The front piece is connected to the rear piece by four buckle assemblies. Each buckle assembly has a male portion and a female portion, with the male portions being attached to the shoulder and waist sections of the front vest piece, and the female portions being attached to the shoulder and waist sections of the rear vest piece, so that the front vest piece is connected to the rear vest piece by inserting each of the male portions into a corresponding female portion. Each male buckle portion is connected to a cable. The other end of each cable is connected to a single handle on the front vest piece. Pulling the handle causes the male portions to release from the female portions and the front vest section to separate from the rear vest section.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a cut away vest that can be quickly and easilyremoved by the wearer. In particular, the invention relates to a cutaway vest that can be easily re-assembled after it is removed by thewearer.

2. The Prior Art

Cut away vests are often worn by members of the military and lawenforcement agencies to aid the wearer in carrying gear, as well as toprotect against bullets and other impacts. These vests, especially whenloaded with armor plating, can be very heavy and cumbersome to wear.Therefore it is a requirement that the vests be easily removable by thewearer, in case the wearer must be mobile in an emergency, andespecially in case of submersion in water.

In the past, these vests have been constructed of several separatepieces that are held together by a cable system. An example of thissystem is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 7,243,376 to Johnson. A strap isthreaded through each piece, with a hole in each strap. The holes arethen lined up, and a cable is threaded through each hole. A loop on oneof the pieces is threaded through the overlapping holes, and a cable isthen fed through the loop, keeping all of the pieces joined together. Inan emergency, the cable is pulled out, thus releasing all of the piecessimultaneously. This system works well to free the wearer from the vest,but it is extremely difficult to re-assemble the vest after use, so thevests are generally discarded after a single use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a cut away vestthat can be easily re-assembled after the release system is activated,so that the vest can be re-used for further operations.

This and other objects are achieved by a cut away vest, comprising afront vest piece having two shoulder sections and two waist sections,and a rear vest piece having two shoulder sections and two waistsections. The front piece is connected to the rear piece by four buckleassemblies. Each buckle assembly has a male portion and a femaleportion, with the male portions being attached to the shoulder and waistsections of the front vest piece, and the female portions being attachedto the shoulder and waist sections of the rear vest piece, so that thefront vest piece is connected to the rear vest piece by inserting eachof the male portions into a corresponding female portion. Each malebuckle portion is connected to a cable. The other end of each cable isconnected to a single handle on the front vest piece. Pulling the handlecauses the male portions to release from the female portions and thefront vest section to separate from the rear vest section.

In one embodiment, each of the cables is slidably disposed in a cablesleeve that is connected to the front vest section. This way, the cablescan move easily without becoming entangled with the user, as the cablesleeves are firmly secured to the vest. The sleeve is fixed on one endto the male buckle and on the other end to a plate that guides the wiresto the handle. Each wire end is fixed to the leg structure of the malebuckle and to the handle. When the handle is pulled, the legs are pulledinwards to disengage the male from the female, and when the handle isreleased, the legs move back to their original state. Because the sleeveis fixed from end to end, and the wire slides from end to end, a“spring” effect is causing the wire to shift back in to the leg lockingposition after release of the handle.

Alternatively, the cables could be run through an interior of the vest,either within a cable sleeve or by themselves.

In order to make the vest more secure and easy to assemble, the waistsections of the front vest piece overlap the waist sections of the rearvest piece when the male portions are connected to the female portions.In a preferred embodiment, the waist sections of the rear vest piece areconfigured to be stiff and curved, so that they fit around the wearer'swaist, even before the buckles are secured. This makes the vest easierto assemble while wearing, as the rear vest piece stays in place whilethe front vest piece is being attached.

To increase adjustability of the vest, the female portions of thebuckles can be connected to the shoulder sections and waist sections ofthe rear vest piece via adjustable straps on the rear vest piece. Thefemale buckle can be equipped with strap securing bars that allow thestraps to be tightened or loosened, depending on the needs of thewearer. Or, straps with integrated hook and loop closures can be fedthrough a single bar on the female to create adjustability.

In one embodiment of the buckle, each female portion comprises a hollowbody with a front wall, a back wall, an open top, a cavity between thetop and bottom walls and at least one locking slot extending through thehollow body and communicating with the cavity. Each male portioncomprises a base with at least one locking leg and a central leg, suchthat inserting the male part into the open top of the female part causesthe locking leg to engage the locking slot to lock the male portion tothe female portion, as is the case with traditional side-releasebuckles. In a preferred embodiment, each male portion has two lockingarms and each female portion has two locking slots. The male portionalso-can be released in the traditional manner: by pinching the lockinglegs together until they clear the locking slots in the female portion.However, the buckle used in the present invention has an additionalfeature. In this buckle, there are means for moving the locking legtoward the central leg to release the male portion from the femaleportion when the handle is pulled.

The means for moving the locking leg toward the central leg can comprisea pulling mechanism slidably mounted within the central leg andconnected to the cable in the male portion, and arms or a strapconnected one to each of the locking legs and to the pulling mechanism,such that pulling on the cable causes the pulling mechanism to slideaway from ends of the locking legs and central leg and pull the lockinglegs toward the central leg. When the locking legs are pulled toward thecentral leg, they exit the locking slots of the female buckle portion,and the male and female portions are thus released from each other.

In one embodiment, the two locking legs can be connected by anintegrally molded strap. The cable mechanism can be guided through thecenter leg channel and connected towards the middle of the strap. Whenthe cable is pulled, the strap pulls down and swings the legs inwards.The strap may have different interface configurations to attach to thecable.

In another embodiment, there is a molded hollow receptacle in the middleof the strap, whereby an end piece of the cable will interface. In yetanother embodiment, the cable mechanism can guide up through the centerleg and split to two separate cables, each one directly connected toeach leg. In all cases, the four cables from the male buckles eventuallyconnect to a single handle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparentfrom the following detailed description considered in connection withthe accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that thedrawings are designed as an illustration only and not as a definition ofthe limits of the invention.

In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similarelements throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 shows the vest according to one embodiment of the invention in anassembled position;

FIG. 2 shows the vest of FIG. 1 in a disassembled position;

FIG. 3 shows one example of a male portion of the buckle for use in thevest according to the invention;

FIG. 4 shows the male buckle portion of FIG. 3 when the cable is pulled;

FIG. 5 shows another example of the male buckle portion for use with thevest according to the invention;

FIG. 6 shows the male buckle portion of FIG. 5 when the cable is pulled;

FIG. 7 shows another example of the male buckle portion for use with thevest according to the invention;

FIG. 8 shows the male buckle portion of FIG. 7 when the cable is pulled;

FIG. 9 shows yet another example of the male buckle portion for use withthe vest according to the invention; and

FIG. 10 shows the male buckle portion of FIG. 9 when the cable ispulled.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now in detail to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 show a vest 10according to one embodiment of the invention. Vest 10 consists of afront vest piece 11 connected to a rear vest piece 21. Front vest piece11 has two shoulder sections 12, 13 and two waist sections 14, 15. Rearvest piece has two shoulder sections 22, 23 and two waist sections 24,25. Rear vest piece 21 is connected to front vest piece 11 via buckleslocated on each of shoulder sections 12, 13, 22, 23 and waist section14, 15, 24, 25. Front vest piece 11 is equipped with male buckleportions 30 on each of sections 12, 13, 14, 15, and rear vest piece 21is equipped with female buckle portions 40 attached to sections 22, 23,24, 25. Male buckle portions 30 on front vest piece 11 are releasablyconnected to corresponding female buckle portions on rear vest piece 21to connect the two vest pieces together.

Because vest pieces 11, 21 must be connected while vest 10 is beingworn, it is ideal if rear waist sections 24, 25 are reinforced with astiff, curved material, so that rear vest piece 21 will stay in placeprior to attachment of front sections 14, 15 of front vest piece 11.Preferably, waist sections 25, 24, extend around toward the front of theuser, so that there is a significant overlap between waist sections 15,14 and 25, 24. To put on the vest, the shoulder sections of front vestpiece 11 are connected to the shoulder sections of rear vest piece 21and the vest 10 is placed over the wearer's head. The waist sections 15,14, are then connected to waist sections 25, 24, respectively, to securevest 10 to the wearer. The vest can be adjusted by adjusting straps 50which are connected to female buckle portions 40, to increase thecomfort and safety of the wearer. Or, the rear vest piece 21 can beplaced on the wearer's body, and the front vest piece 11 can beconnected to it while on the wearer, with the buckles being connected inany order.

So that vest 10 can be easily removed in an emergency, front vest piece11 is constructed so that male buckle portions 30 can be released fromfemale buckle portions 40 with one movement. In this embodiment, eachmale buckle portion 30 is connected to a cable 31, which is attached toa handle 17 on front vest piece 11. Cable 31 is fed through a cablesleeve 32, which is secured to front vest piece 11, and through whichcable can easily slide. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, cables onthe left side of the vest are connected to each other prior toconnection to handle 17. The same is true for the right side cables.Handle 17 and cables 31 are secured in place on front vest piece 11 by apatch 16, which guide the cables where the handle is interconnected.

Male buckle portions 30 are configured so that a hard pull on handle 17causes all four buckle portions 30 to simultaneously disengage from thecorresponding female portions 40, thus separating front vest piece 11from rear vest piece 21 with a single motion. Because there are only twopieces to vest 10, and only four buckles, re-assembling vest 10 issimple and quick. All that is required is to insert male buckle portions30 back into female buckle portions 40, and the vest is completelyassembled, ready for another use.

The cables 31 that are connected to the male buckle portions 30 on frontsections 12, 13 and 14, 15 are. interconnected to handle 17. This is toallow a downward pull on handle 17 to move the cable sufficiently todisengage male buckle portions 30 on the waist sections.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show one embodiment of a male buckle portion that issuitable for use in vest 10. Female buckle portion is a conventionalfemale buckle portion, having a hollow body 43, a central opening 42 andtwo locking slots 41, as shown in FIG. 2. Male buckle portion 30comprises a base 33, two flexible locking legs 34 and a central leg 35with a guide channel. Within the guide channel of central leg 35 is aslidable pulling mechanism 36. Connected to mechanism 36 and to lockinglegs 34 are two pulling arms 37. Also connected to mechanism 36 is cable31. In use, pulling on cable 31 causes pulling mechanism 36 to slideback away from locking legs 34. This pulls arms 37 downward, and pullslocking legs 34 inward, as shown in FIG. 4. This inward motion oflocking legs 34 causes male buckle portion 30 to release from femalebuckle portion 40 when the two buckle portions are assembled together.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show an alternative embodiment of male buckle portion 30.In this embodiment, cable 31 is connected to a Y-shaped pullingmechanism 336. This can be a hollow structure through which cable 31 isthreaded and splits into arms 337, which are connected to locking legs34 through aperture 339 and knob 338. Alternatively, cable 31 can beattached to an end of mechanism 336, with arms 337 attached to the twoY-arms of. mechanism 336. As with the embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 4,pulling on cable 31 causes pulling mechanism 336 to slide back away fromlocking legs 34. This causes arms 337 to pull locking legs 34 inward, asshown in FIG. 6. The inward motion of locking legs 34 causes lockinglegs 34 to be released from locking slots 41 in female buckle portion40, to release male buckle portion 30 from female buckle portion 40.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show another embodiment of male buckle portion 30. In thisembodiment, a connecting strap 437 extends between locking legs 34. Apulling mechanism 436 is slidably disposed in central leg 35 and isattached to a center of connecting strap 437. As shown in FIG. 8, whencable 31 is pulled, pulling mechanism 436 pulls strap 437 downward andcauses locking legs 34 to be pressed inward, to release locking legs 34from female portion 40.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show yet another embodiment of male buckle portion 30. Inthis embodiment, a hollow receptacle 538 is integrally molded intostraps 537, which connect locking legs 34 to each other. Within hollowreceptacle 538 is a pulling mechanism 536, which is connected to cable31. Pulling on cable 31 pulls straps 537 downward and causes lockinglegs 34 to be pressed inward, as shown in FIG. 10. This allows malebuckle portion 30 to be released from female buckle portion 40.

Other buckle assemblies could also be envisioned. All that is requiredis that the male portions be releasable from the female portions bypulling on the handle or cable.

Accordingly, while only a few embodiments of the present invention havebeen shown and described, it is obvious that many changes andmodifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention.

1. A cut-away vest comprising: a front vest piece having two shouldersections and two waist sections; a rear vest piece having two shouldersections and two waist sections; four buckle assemblies, each buckleassembly having a male portion and a female portion, each of the maleportions being attached to the front vest piece, one attached at each ofthe shoulder sections and at each of the waist sections, and each of thefemale portions being attached to the rear vest piece, one at each ofthe shoulder sections and each of the waist sections, so that the frontvest piece is connected to the rear vest piece by inserting each of themale portions into a corresponding female portions; a plurality ofcables, each cable connected at one end to one of the male portions, andhaving a second end; and a handle disposed on the front vest piece,wherein each of the second ends of the plurality of cables is attachedto the handle, and wherein pulling the handle causes the male portionsto release from the female portions and the front vest piece to separatefrom the rear vest piece.
 2. The cut away vest according to claim 1,wherein each of the cables is slidably disposed in a cable sleeve, andwherein the cable sleeves are connected to the front vest section. 3.The cut away vest according to claim 1, wherein at least one of thewaist sections of the front vest piece overlap the waist sections of therear vest piece when the male portions are connected to the femaleportions.
 4. The cut away vest according to claim 1, wherein at leastone of the shoulder sections of the front vest piece overlap theshoulder sections of the rear vest piece when the male portions areconnected to the female portions.
 5. The cut away vest according toclaim 1, wherein the female portions are connected to at least one ofthe shoulder sections and waist sections of the rear vest piece via anadjustable strap.
 6. The cut away vest according to claim 1, whereineach female portion comprises a hollow body with a front wall, a backwall, an open top, a cavity between the front and back walls, and atleast one locking slot extending through the hollow body andcommunicating with the cavity, and wherein each male portion comprises abase, at least one locking leg, a central leg, such that inserting themale portion into the open top of the female portion causes the at leastone locking leg to engage the at least one locking slot to lock the maleportion to the female portion, and means for moving the at least onelocking leg toward the central leg to release the male portion from thefemale portion when the handle is pulled.
 7. The cut away vest accordingto claim 6, wherein each male portion has two locking arms and eachfemale portion has two locking slots.
 8. The cut away vest according toclaim 7, wherein the means for moving the locking leg toward the centralleg comprises a pulling assembly slidably mounted within the central legand connected to one of the cables, and two arms connected one to eachof the locking legs and to the pulling assembly, such that pulling onthe cable causes the pulling assembly to slide away from ends of thelocking legs and central leg and pull the locking legs toward thecentral leg to release the male portion from the female portion.
 9. Thecut away vest according to claim 8, wherein the pulling assembly ismounted within a channel in the central leg.
 10. The cut away vestaccording to claim 9, wherein the pulling assembly is a Y-shaped body,and wherein the arms are integrally formed with one of the cables. 11.The cut away vest according to claim 6, wherein there are two lockinglegs, said locking legs being connected to each other by an integrallyformed strap, and wherein the means for moving the locking legs is apulling assembly that is connected to the strap.
 12. The cut away vestaccording to claim 11, wherein the strap has a hollow receptacle, andwherein the pulling assembly is disposed within the hollow receptacleand connected to one of the cables.